2012 Solo Show
150 Cottage Hill, Elmhurst, IL 60126
Reception: May 18, 7 - 9 pm
Museum Hours: Tu, We, Th & Sa, 10-5 Friday 10-8
In the midst of the western suburbs - art flourishes. Mirjana Ursulesku, an unassuming Westmont resident, held a one-person show at the Elmhurst Art Museum on Friday night, celebrating a four-week exhibit of charcoal sketches, water colors, pastels, and passion. Spanning over two decades of work, Mirjana's introspection gives the viewer a peek inside a timeless village home near the capital city of Belgrade, Serbia; to a river bank in her small town in Bosnia, to strong, blue impressions of the landscape near her home in the western suburbs. All reflect a life lived beyond calendar years; a deep interpretation of war, of loss; of life and of hope. There is something for everyone in her work. From the colorful acrylic collection of beautiful florals she captured on a retreat to Sanibel Island, Florida, to stark charcoals of a timeless life in her home country, each stroke of her work reflects an intensely lived life.
A mother of two young children, there is nothing in Mirjana's work that is not deeply authentic. Her work, her life, and her heart reflect a resilient, vulnerability. Guests at this opening evening were as diverse and unique as her art. From friends who root back to her mother's small village in Bosnia, to new friends like the Artistic Director of Paramount Arts Center in Aurora, to family and neighbors, to newcomers, curious about her unique perspective; the evening felt more like a global family reunion, than a gallery opening. Wine, refreshments, children, and a body of beautiful work was celebrated on this warm evening in May.
“I am deeply impressed by the range and intensity of her work, especially knowing her as a mother and a friend," observed Janna Cosby, from Hinsdale, Illinois. "She's small in size yet her work expresses passion, and intensity, larger than life.”
